Saving her
by scasfra
Summary: A sequele from "the way words hurt", Sophie run away from the team after a big fight with Nate but instead of the mastermind, Eliot is the one coming for her... Rated T just to prevent future chapters
1. Prologue

**I do not own Leverage or TNT, this is story about Eliot's relationship with Sophie, and I maybe make a sequel. **

**Let me know what you think about so I can decide what to do with this idea of mine… **

By the time they met he wasn't really a thief, but it didn't matter since her name wasn't really Sophie...

He was just a boy, trying to survive on the military and she was there under some other name to steal some work art from some sheikh, in the middle of it she was almost caught and he ended up saving her life...

He was just a boy, trying to survive on the military and she was there under some other name to steal some work art from some sheikh, in the middle of it she was almost caught and he ended up saving her life...

Years had passed by and their lives crossed each other once again, he didn't identify her on stage, with that horrible acting, but then he saw her working on her marks.

She would act in such a way men would give her everything she wanted to get convincing them it was their idea. She also had those dark eyes he wouldn't ever forget, the ones which when he was a young adult fighting for what he thought it was right, had reminded him of the hope residing at home...

Today they were a family and he could see her gaze was not the same anymore; her gaze was stained. He understood that, the hitter's hand were stained with blood and his soul was full with guilt and he was sure Sophie had done bad stuff too, hurting people to accomplish her goals...

They had recognised each other and even though they never spoke about it, she would look him in the eyes searching for something, analysing him and, one night, the woman approached him and stroked his face lightly with tenderness and told him in the face she could see inside him the sweet boy that had once saved her life, he didn't have the time to say anything as one second after that she was gone, saving Nate from himself one more time...

That was the one thing he loved the most about Sophie, her ability to always come back around and support all the others, almost forgetting her. Time was passing and all she was getting was a handful of vague stuff that maybe she would still never get. Eliot would sit on his own world, observing everything, they were all a family and she got to play the mother role, she kept everyone together and united, peaking up Nathan's broken pieces, helping Parker giving Hardison the value he deserved and calming down Eliot's conscience also healing his physical wounds.

For the rest of it Hardison had Nate and Eliot, Parker had Hardison and Sophie, Nate had Sophie and he had the mastermind and the grifter, only Sophie had none...

That was what made him go up to her apartment that night, knowing Nate had broken her heart cruelly once again and she was all alone... So many years ago he had saved her because he had thought that was the right thing to do, she could be a thief, but still, she shouldn't pay it with her own life.

Tonight he was doing it because he loved her...


	2. Leaving

**So this is the continuation from what I realised to be an older story of mine called "The way words hurt" wich is from Nate's POV but I still hope you like it.**

**Please review so I can keep evolve my writting :D**

If you ask him, Eliot won't be able to tell when exactly he did fall in love with the great Sophie Devereux. He knows Elisabeth, the art evaluator which life he saved, really got under his skin, she was fascinating and at the time made him feel cosy, surrounded by the same comfortable, familiar sensation he used to live at home, but Elisabeth and Sophie were not the same person...

Maybe he mixed up the two of them, maybe the small gestures he saw in Sophie and used to see in Elisabeth grew more than he wanted them to, perhaps they got really big, exacerbating...

He doesn't know his facts straight, all he knows he did fall in love with her and now he is there, sitting on a dark blue armchair facing a mahogany door waiting for her to get home so he can confront the grifter...

She ran away months ago since Nate hurt her irreparably and then he thought that was the perfect time to get those dark hypnotising eyes of his mind, he tried to erase her however, when he finally thought he had it they went to do that job in Paris and in the morning after they finished when they were supposed to leave Nate confessed him he had seen Sophie and she was married now...

To acknowledge that ripped his heart as much as it ripped Nate's even though Eliot wouldn't let it show. One week after they got home he packed up and said the team he would be gone for a short amount of time "he needed to help an old friend"...

Parker chased him to the airport and strangled him on an unexpected hug. "don't you disappear too, please come back soon..."

Eliot drinks one more sip of the glass of wine resting in his hand while he awaits the door to open and her to came in. What is he doing here? He keeps tell himself he's coming to save her, this is not good for her or that he's helping Nate, but to speak the truth he's doing that only for himself...


	3. Why I came

Sophie entered her house to find Eliot sitting in her armchair with an almost empty glass of wine in his hand... That didn't surprise her, ever since Nate had seen her in Hotel bar with James she was expecting him to appear. However the fact that hitter had showed up instead of Nate did not surprise her either... Sophie was aware that man was in love with her, she could see it in his eyes, the way she would gaze at her, the way he'd smile at her. She could definitely see it when they would both look at each other in the eye and go back in time to those days where she was Elisabeth and he was just one more soldier trying to survive...

Nate hadn't noticed Eliot affection for his grifter, first because the hitter was very good at hiding it (Sophie only had spot it because reading other people feeling was what she did for a living) and second because the mastermind was blind by alcohol and rage and because when it came to Sophie he wasn't just blind, he was also a utter bastard.

He gave her one of his charismatic smiles rose up his glass slightly and took a small sip, she entered her own house feeling a bit uncomfortable, but managed to place her bag on the round table of the living room and stare at him with more curiosity than unease...

The fact that he had cross the ocean to meet with her actually touched the woman. Eliot of all of them was the one with the bigger number of reasons to let go of her, he had been the most hurt one after her lying to them on the first David job. He loved her and he betrayed them, betrayed him. It took him a while to completely forgive her and fully trust her again and right when he did it, when he saw her as part of the family again she flew away. She would think he'd be so hurt he would forget her and not give a damn about where she was or what she was doing with her life and there he was now, looking her straight in the eye.

-What are you doing here? - She asked calmly, he smiled again, eyes shining.

-I came to save you a lot of trouble… -He answered raising the glass in a toast and drinking the one last sip.


	4. Whenever you need, I'll be there

**I already have ideas for the next chapter, however, I am having a writing blockage on this one so is not exactly the way I wanted it to be, it is the only way I can move on though.**

**Please read and help improving it…**

Parker was the one telling were Sophie was living, she was the one teaching him how to break into her apartment and the hours she'd be alone since that James guy was working. Hardison was the one searching the guy and founding out he was broke, no money, no art, nothing... Just some guy owing practically much to everybody, but now it was his job to tell her con was vain, tell her she was wrong and, God, was it hard... She looked at him with an eyebrow raising, asking him the question her lips wouldn't do.

-Saving me from what trouble? - He drank the rest of his wine and placed the glass on the coffee table next to him.

-From your con... - He swallows hard and stares at her dark beautiful eyes. - From your wedding.

It's only when she starts laughing, really laughing, that he realises Hardison was right when he said there was something odd about it, after all the best damn grifter in the world would know the guy had nothing to be robbed off.

-Eliot darling, -she finally manages to say, slowly pacing the floor as if searching for a way of saying delicately, after that man was in love with her. - This is not a con, I am married for real.

He chokes when she says it and there's a part of him which doesn't even believe her words. She must be lying; lying is what she does...

-What do you mean with that? How...? Why...? Sophie, I don't even know what to say... - His heart hurts and she's awfully sorry she has to hurt him this way; Eliot Spencer happens to be the last man in the world deserving to be hurt like this... - Do you love him? - He finally asks and he sounds so sad, angry and disappointed. The hitter just aged ten years in ten minutes.

-That doesn't really matter... - She's sitting on the edge of the dinner table now, her dark silky hair covering part of her face. She speaks on a low, calm tone yet he can see how ashamed she is by that statement alone.

He gets up and fists the wall.

-Damn it, Sophie! How can it doesn't matter? Is the one thing that matter the most!

-Well ,I loved Nate and look at what that got me in to! - She is mad and he feels his chest tightening...

-Does... - He's afraid to ask, he's afraid to know the answer. - Does he loves you? - She gives him a soft smile

-Very much, he even stopped gaming for me, for the sake of our marriage...

-Does he know your past? - He's calmer now, but he hates that she mentioned her husband was a gamer; that can still be dangerous.

-Know, he only knows me as Hellena Carter, an art expert...

-Sophie... - She's still looking down. - Darlin' look at me. -She does. - This is not the way to heal a broken heart, you're fooling this man and yourself and that's just not the Sophie I know... You can't just leave the game or stop being who you are and, not in a week, but in three months, maybe even six you'll get bored and tired of this marriage you got yourself into. You will want to get away from it because you don't love him and you know this isn't right, this isn't enough. Not if you don't love him back... When that day comes, call me... - She smiled at him, a shy smile which didn't fit in her face at all, it didn't belong to her...

-He loves me for what I am even though he doesn't know everything. He listens to me and smiles at me all the time, he makes me laugh and hugs me at night which is way more than what I ever got with Nate, I can't get tired of being loved and wanted because it feels so warm... so... - She rolled her eyes on a cute way that made him want to hug her yet, his Sophie was unreachable. - Safe...

-Sweetie, one day that illusion will end and you will feel annoyed and mad at him, as you don't love him you will hate all those things you admire now, the way you see him will change... I know loving Nathan hurt you, but this is not the answer... - He walked to the door, it was time to leave; James would be home soon...

-Eliot... - She grabbed by one harm and faster, then he could think she hugged him, he embraced her back and kissed her on the head; her hair smelling like jasmine.

-Whenever you need sweetheart, I am just a phone call away...


	5. jealous

**Here it is, the next chapter, I guess there's still hope for Eliot right?**

**Constructive critics are highly appreciated… **

Six months had passed by since Eliot Spencer had last spoken with Helena Carter and that was the exact same amount of time the team had spent chasing jobs in Europe in general and, at the places where Helena was in particular. Nathan had decided to keep tabs on her and follow her around like a lost puppy even though he wouldn't ever speak to her...

That is an easy job, especially because Eliot has to do basically nothing but to expect for Hardison to crack the security system and for Parker to go in and out and get the documents they need to frame the mark, is an easy one, but once again it never is that smooth so he is sitting on a coffee shop in front of the mark's building, waiting for things to go wrong with Nathan sitting next to him, not talking at all. It's been a long time since Nathan said an unnecessary word, a friendly, familiar one. He is all about the job nowadays, and about Sophie, pardon, Helena.

So Eliots just stays there watching the movement and listening to Hardison talking rubbish from his van and nothing else. He has time to think and, unexpectedly he thinks of Maggie, he thinks that's the way she must have felt when Nathan first chasing the grifter, it's only when Nate shrugs and shakes and asks the bartender for something stronger he thinks this must be worse than before, worse than Maggie because this time he can't even approach her, he doesn't want to and she doesn't play his game anymore and by the time he comes back home and he will be coming home... There will be no one waiting for him...

It's been half an hour since they're sitting there at the café, Hardison says something that sounds like "I just got the lasers" and he can hear movement coming from Parker's com but nothing unusual, that's moment, when he's wondering if Parker needs his help or not, when the mastermind almost spits is drink and looks away.

She's there. Helena is there, as elegant as always with her wedding ring and a silver bracelet, a white shirt and a pencil blue skirt. Her hair is tangled on a braid and he thinks he has never seen her with braided hair before; he then remembers that's not Sophie, but Helena and that maybe Helena wears braids... She's talking to someone that is not James; he has his hand on her waist, he's old and disgusting yet she laughs when he leans over and whispers some bullshit in her hear... Eliot's knuckles clench, he wants to go in there and punch him in the face; instead he relaxes is muscles and watches Nate from the corner of his eyes, the man is just as mad as he is, maybe even more, so it's his job to control him...

Eliot asks another drink for Nate and even one for himself, he keeps watching the picture of Helena chatting with the old guy and he keeps not liking it, he's almost breaking the glass in his hands when a car door shuts drawing his attention.

It's James. Nathan looks at him too and squeezes the glass on his hand cracking it, nobody notices and if they do, they don't care.

James walks up to Sophie, fast and straight, he kisses her on the forehead and lays his hand on her right harm.

-Honey, you're freezing! Here, have my coat. - He places his dark long coat on her back and harms, she smiles at him, still, Eliot can tell she's mad at him. - I'm sorry Mr. Jackosn, this is my husband, James Carter. James this is Mr. Jackon, I've told you about him, remember?

James shakes the man's hand, he looks around and suddenly notices Nathan and the cracked glass with no drink in it, resting on his hand, for a moment Eliot thought James had recognized his boss, however, the man looks away from them as Helena starts to walk out the café.

-Were you trying to cover me? - She hisses at him.

-No, yeah... I... hum...

-You wanker, I've told you before I hate it when you try to control me...

-Darling, I am not trying to control it's just that... I don't like when other men look at you and...

She says something back, but they're too far for Eliot to listen to it. The hitter looks back at Nathan who is smiling for the first time in months, they both know that marriage isn't going to last.

That's the moment when he finally pays attention to the com again and realises Parker really needs his help, that's the part of the job that goes wrong...


	6. Baby

**Italic is the character thinking or speaking for himself.**

Eliot was exhausted, two broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder, all he wanted to do was rest. What the hell was Helena doing in Serbia anyway? That woman was crazy yet; the worst of it was the fact Nathan was even crazier...

The hitter was finally home, all he wanted to do was rest until the next crazy job, but then, the phone rang. It was probably Hardison, it could wait until morning. It stopped and when he finally thought he could sleep in peace it rang again. He grabbed it and answered it.

-Damn it, Hardison! This better be important...

-Hi... Is it a bad time to call? - The voice on the side was smooth and sweet, as much as he remembered it, as much as he missed it, having her speaking on his ears every single day, every single job...

-No, hon'... It's just fine. You okay? -A few moments of silence and he could swear his heart actually stopped pumping. That James guy had better not hurt her or he would wipe his ass from Paris to China...

-Yeah, I am just fine... -She was speaking on a slow tone, almost tired.

-You don't sound fine, hon'... It's me, Soph, ya know you can talk to me...

-James wants to have a baby. - It was his turn to be silent; he sure felt like beating the guy's ass from Paris to China...

-A baby? What kind of baby? - Asked, sounding a bit like Parker, but, hell, the man was caught on surprise...

-I don't know, Eliot, how many kinds of babies do you know? - He laughed, if she was being sarcastic than, it couldn't be that bad.

-Sorry, darlin'. My bad... Well, do you want to have a baby? - He had a déjà vu, lately he was always making Sophie question he didn't really want the answers to...

I don't know... It's just... I was a thief; a baby was never in my life plans and now everything's so different, so Goodman normal! We've been having some problems... I mean, I've been having some problems...

-What kind of problems?

-I don't know... It's like... There's this emptiness, I always feel life if something is missing and maybe...

-Maybe? - He didn't like the way that conversation was going.

-Maybe, a baby is what's missing...

_Sophie, Sophie, Sophie... Where have you gone? Please come back for me. This Helena persona is crazier and I dare to say she is not as smart as you were, not in a thousand years...'_

-Sophie, no! A baby is not what's missing. What's missing is you! Since your got married with that guy you're not you anymore!

-But he loves me so much, and I... I am just wrong with him, distant and cold... And, maybe a baby would help us...

-No! Soph, a baby wouldn't help you at all. A baby would drag your marriage down the rabbit hole faster than it should and after that, you will be resentful, your husband will be resentful and in the middle of it there will a be broken child that won't be loved as it should... - She sobbed on the other side and he felt terrible. On his own will he would catch the next plane to Paris just to hug her...

-Did you ever think about it, Eliot? On having a baby?

-I am a hitter, darnlin', baby would be better without me...

-So why isn't this the right way to have a baby? I mean, Eliot if I would have a child as thief, what would I teach him... I can't take chances and screw up an infant like that...

-Darlin', you'd be just fine. Your kid would know who is momma was and that she loved him and brought him to the world out of love and not to try to save her already sinking marriage. You would probably teach your kid the world is grey, not black and with and there's nothing wrong with that. You are a good person...

-So should I have a baby and tell him I am thief?

-You should tell him who you really her, not some broken alias of yours and yes, you should probably have a baby with someone that knows you and accepts you for what you are, like Nathan or me or even Hardison...

-Hardison, seriously? - He frowned, when did things start to go so south?

-No, not Hardison, that would be wrong, but you get the message right? - She whimpered.

-Yeah, I do, Eliot. Thanks...

-No problem Soph, and just know that I will support your decision no matter what so, if you decide to go and have a little dude I will be there for ya'

-Thank you Eliot.

She hung up and he rolled on his bed, just wishing she'd do the right thing, wishing she'd come back for them, for him?...

**So what do you think? Is Sophie/Helena, going to have a little Carter baby to take care of?**

**What are you thinking of the story so far?**


	7. Finally good news

**Mercedes- Thank you for your support on this story, I truly appreciate it. **

Two months and three weeks had passed by since Eliot Spencer had last spoke to Helena Carter. They little game of chasing her around was failing since lately, none of them got to see her, except for maybe Parker, and Nathan was getting as cranky and unbearable as someone could be...

They were in Italy, Florence, it was earlier spring and the time was fine, not too hot, but not too cold either. Eliot had just abandoned the team because they were freaking out on their search for Helena, he needed a drink.

He sat on the bench by the bar and ordered a drink; he was half way through his beer when a considerably large group of old ladies stood up to walk away, clearing his vision onto the other side of the room, that's when he saw him.

James Carter was wearing his usual black coat, leaning against the bar, downing a bottle of red wine, his hair was messed up and the dark circles under his eyes suggested he was having trouble sleeping, his hands were shaking and his gaze was absent and lost. The hitter stood up from where he was and carefully approached the man.

Can I take this seat? - He asked pulling the bench next to James.

-Yeah, sure... -The man said without turning to look at him.

-You're James, right? James Carter? - The man shivered and fear crossed his face.

-Look man, I already payed my debts, what more does your boss want? -Eliot frowned his brow.

-Nah man, I am a friend of your wife, Helena Carter. - The other shrugged with indifference and contempt.

-She's not my wife anymore. Left me a small fortune and left. Said it wasn't working anymore... - He punched the table, knocking his glass on the floor. - That bitch! I loved her... I... - James suddenly started crying, his head hiding on his arms, Eliot left a bill on the counter to pay for his beer and left the man alone.

-No! She's not in this hotel, I've searched everywhere and didn't find her. - Parker stated while jumping on the couch with anxiety.

-I think I know why - Three faces turned around and stared at the hitter who had just walked through the door. - Hardison, who do you tagged exactly to trace her?

-James, I tagged James. - Nathan looked at him with a big question spread all over his face. -What man, what? It's easier okay? He follows her everywhere and he doesn't keep changing her name like she does...

-She still kept changing her name? - Eliot asked.

-Yeah. - Nate answered. - Officially she was Helena Carter, yet, every time she met a business man or someone as important she'd present herself with a different alias. It makes her untraceable to us and it's easier to her since some of those aliases already have a past.

-And that's the exact reason I tagged James instead of her. Now, how can she's not in town? James made the check in, I am pretty sure it's him.

-She's not here because they're not together anymore! She divorced him!

-What? - They all asked in unison, Parker had finally stopped jumping.

-She let him with enough money to survive a year, maybe two if he behaves and left him.

Nobody said anything; the only thing making clear they had heard him was the big grin on the mastermind's face.

-Okay people - He started, pouring himself a glass of Scotch. - Let's finish this job, go back home and trace the great Sophie Devereaux.

**It's seems like Sophie is finally back on the game**. **What do you think it will happen next?**


	8. Sophie's back

**This is small and simple chapter due to the fact that is a connection to the rest of the story. **

**I will be updating more soon…**

As soon as they landed in Boston they headed home to the headquarters, Parker was jumping again and Hardison was grumbling about some orange juice someone had spilled in his lap and Nate, Nate was all silent again even though Eliot could see a tiny little light shining in his eyes. There was hope, there was hope again...

For their disappointment Sophie hadn't gotten back home for them, the apartment was as empty as it were when the left to Florence and there were no signs of any leaving being being in there while they weren't. Parker went to the kitchen to take a box of her favourite cereal, but Eliot slapped her hand, he was going to cook something proper for her, for all of them.

Nathan sat on a chair with the newspaper one his right hand and a glass of very strong Whiskey on the left one and Hardison turned on the TV on and run for his laptop.

Eliot was spatting Parker hand from his mushrooms when Hardison started screaming in joy.

-Yes! Yeah, that's exactly what I'm talking about! - He rose from the place he was sitting in and went to fist pump Nate who just looked at him like the hacker had gone crazy or something very close to that.

-What? - Eliot asked still holding the meat knife on his hands.

-I found her!

-You did?

-Yup, you see, I kept tags on Sophie Deveraux, despite the fact she was non-existent, ya know, just in case, and know she's existent again... It seems like she's back to her old alias.

-Where is she? - Nathan and Parker asked at the same time.

-Germany. - Hardison replied.

Nathan closed his newspaper and smiled, it seemed like they were going to be in Germany soon.


	9. A family  the right chapter

**I am sorry for posting a repeated chapter instead of this one, there was a mistake with the titles.**

**Hope you will enjoy it.**

**This one is a bit longer, but has some sweetness to it…**

They found her in Germany indeed; she was on the same fancy Hotel they were in, two floors up. The con had been a piece of work where Parker nearly broke her ancle and he ended up with a twisted wrist and a sore body, happily they managed to frame the mark and they would be catching a plane to Boston the next morning.

Nathan had been cranky the entire time and they all knew why, Sophie was the closest she had ever been in months yet, it was still too far...

He decided he had had enough; he ran up the stairs and finally knocked on her door.

Sophie was wearing a long black night gown and her dark hair was loose, running across her shoulders and upper side of her back, smiling eyes when she saw him.

-Eliot, I am so glad you're here! - She said and moved to squeeze him on tight hug.

They spent hours talking. They spoke about the team's later jobs and about her marriage and divorce, he told him news about the team and she told him news about the underground world, that's how he found out she was back to conning, only this time she was playing by different rules.

-So, you steal whatever you're paid to and when you got the money you give half of it to charity?

-Yes, that's right... I just couldn't go back to being entirely bad again and this... This feels right...

He was going to tell her how much he admired her when Parker opened the door. The blond limping, carrying a blue blanket on her shoulders as well as with pillow.

-Hi... - she said and he could see she was stunned by seeing him. - I...hu... came to sleep.

-I know you did, darling. - Sophie said. - What happened to you?

-A security guard almost catched me... It's okay, Eliot rubbed some ointment on my leg, he says it should be better by morning.

-I said it would if you would hold still, walking across the hallways to come here was not included. - Eliot said half mad with her, when was she starting to take care of herself?

-I had to come here, this is where I sleep! - She spat out, Sophie was holding her, helping her getting in bed.

-Parker honey, we've talked about this! - She said in a sweet motherly tone. - You don't need to bring your own blanket and pillow anymore. You're sleeping in bed with me remember...

The girl shrugged and suddenly, grabbed the brunette by her shoulders and hold her tight as if she wouldn't ever want to let go. The grifter hugged her back, sensing the girl's vulnerability and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Sophie pulled Parker blankets up so she'd be more comfortable and got back to her chair.

-So... Hu... since when is she sleeping with you? - He asked on a low tone. She bit her lip.

-Since I left; since Paris... - Eliot move uncomfortably on his chair, there were a few pieces missing from the puzzle.

-What about James? You were married to him back in Paris, where did he sleep? - Sophie giggled in response, only Eliot would make such a question.

-James got used to her, he actually sympathised with her besides, she used to sleep on the couch. She only started sleeping with me after my divorce...

After that night, she would contact Eliot a lot more and he liked it, he liked the fact she'd call just to check on them, sending kisses to Alec and Parker before hanging up.

Nate kept following her, finding jobs wherever she was so Eliot kept going to her room just to chat. Watching Parker crawling inside Sophie's bed was now regular which amused him and pissed him off at the same time because if he was happy with the fact Sophie still had Parker's back, he still wanted some alone time with her which was impossible with Parker walking on them every night.

One of those nights was different though. He was sitting on the long couch next to Sophie, they were laughing and drinking wine, Parker wasn't there because Hardison had challenged her to play one of his computer games and she never backed off of a challenge. This was it, this was his opportunity, he got closer to Sophie and took her hands in his, he tried to read her face, tried to find out if there was any chance she was starting to share his feelings for her... That was the moment the door opened again.

Eliot practically jumped from where he was, breaking eye contact with Sophie, Parker was at the door alongside with Hardison. The hacker must have seen something because he gasped and grabbed Parker's hand, trying to take her out of the room.

-Come on, mama. Grown-ups are talking, let them be... - She pulled him inside the room with all her strength.

-Don't be silly Hardison, they do this every time, plus you were the one that said was missing Sophie.

Eliot clenched on the couch so there would be enough room for everyone to sit. The night didn't go was he wanted it to, but it was still nice watching the three of them... They were still a family, he could see it on the way Sophie looked at Hardison, on the way she'd brush the tip of her fingers on his cheek while telling him not to go down, about how he was an essential element of the team, he always had been... He and Parker giggled when she asked him if he was having proper sleep hours and eating soup or something with veggies...

Hardison and Eliot left the room feeling warm inside. Alec had his hands shoved inside his pockets.

-I am sorry man...

-Sorry for what?

-Ya know... Had I known you liked her and I would have kept Parker as far away from that room as possible... - Eliot playfully punched his bro's arm.

-It's okay dude, now, come on. Let's go and see if I can make you that soup I promised Soph I would...

**I promise next chapter will be a lot more emotional. Are you liking it so far?**


	10. Bells and nightmares

**This is the first part of a very emotional part of the story, it was supposed to be one chapter alone yet I ended up dividing in two. Hope you don't mind.**

Another three months had passed by since he had been in Sophie's room with Hardison and Parker. That had become a habit and this time, he was truly happy about; they were in Paris and Paris always set Sophie on a good, glowing mood...

It was almost midnight, Parker should probably be sleeping by now, he was late and that was bothering him yet, Nathan had been seriously beaten up on that con and Eliot felt it was his obligation to help him heal. He told the man to take the pain meds very four hours and left to his room, he was going to change his shirt so he'd be presentable enough for her.

It was a big surprise to find Parker in his room, tugging a blanket and pillow on her arms.

-Can I sleep with you tonight? - She asked giving him the sweetest look the grifter had taught her to.

-Yeah sure, but why aren't you at Sophie's? - She shrugged and pouted like a betrayed child.

-She said she wanted to time for herself... - She kicked an invisible object on the floor and turned around to finally face him, Eliot could tell she felt abandoned, her eyes getting teary. - Do you think she doesn't like us anymore?

He sat on the bed, giving Parker her, so much needed, personal space.

-Nah Parker, I am sure she's still loves us... Maybe she just wants to be alone with her thoughts or something... - He was going to give her a speech about other's need to bealone sometimes and how about that had nothing to do with loving their friends or not, but then the bell started ringing on his head. It was lower at first, however, it became so loud it was unbearable; racing his heart speed and all of sudden he knew something was wrong. Something was going very wrong that night!

He grabbed Parker by her harm, tightening the grip around her as she started to fight him, suddenly not giving a flying damn about her need for personal space. He knocked on Hardison's door and practically shoved the thief against him when he opened it.

-Put you cons on! Don't leave this room until I tell you so and, don't tell Nate anything about nothin'! -He ran across the hallway without even looking at the stunned people behind him, Spencer knew his tone had been authoritarian enough for them to obey him without question.

Sophie's door was locked; he wasn't as smooth as Parker so he just broke inside the room using his strenght. He looked around; his heart was now beating on his throat and for the very first time in years he was getting nauseous.

Ahead of him was one of his worst nightmares, the last thing on earth he wanted to happen.

"Fuck!" was all he managed to say...


	11. Bells and nightmares II

**I am sorry, it looks like it's going to be three chapter, but don't worry though. I'll be posting the next one today and I'll promise it will be more cheerful.**

**Warning; it contains violent descriptions.**

Had he been another person and it all would be even more fucked up than what it already was. Luckily, unhappily, yet luckily he had been in similar situations before.

The bedroom was a total mess, the sheets on the bed were all teared of and there were broken objects everywhere, still, that was nothing compared to the amount of blood scattered on the floor, on the walls, on the curtains, on the bed, hell, even her body was almost completely covered in blood. ..

There were five men laying on the floor, wearing suits with military shoes, their knives a few inches across them, a knuckle duster still on one of the guy's hand. They all had the same distinctive haircut, Serbians for sure. The look on their light eyes was also a very distinctive, familiar one; those were eyes with no life. Five guys and somehow, someway she had managed to take them all down...

She was sitting on a corner, next to the window, hugging her knees and staring blankly into an empty space. There was a relatively high number of things he had to do to clean up that mess yet, his number one concern right at the moment was Sophie, the one who was still alive and breathing.

Eliot approached quietly, trying not to give his concern, trying not to let it show on his face even though; there was a chance she might not read him, there was chance she wasn't her anymore...

She was still alert, he saw it on the way she gripped the knife on her hands after realising he was coming towards her... Eliot knelt on the bloody, sticky floor underneath his feet and extended his arm.

-Sweetie, can you give menthe knife now? - He said on the same low, comforting tone he had seen her wear with Parker a million times before. She nodded so silently he almost didn't catch it and gave him the knife, eyes still blank, body starting to shiver.

He immediately recognized the knife she had used, it was the one that had mysteriously disappeared from his house a month before that, he always had known Parker was behind and now he knew why.

-Are you physically hurt? - He asked wondering if he should touch her or not. Serbians were cruel and he knew raping wasn't out of the table yet. She said nothing. - Are you bleeding or with something broken? - He tried again, this time she nodded negatively. He got up, dropped the knife onto the darkened, dirty floor and extended her his hand again.

-We need you to get of those clothes darlin'. You need to take a bath.

She gave him her hand, blooding, trembling fingers lightly pressing on his, and shyly followed him to the bathroom.

Eliot knew cold water was the best to wash blood away, still, he added a bit of hot water just so it would be warm enough for her. She was standing next to the tub, staring the mirror, better saying: through the mirror. Eliot couldn't avoid it, as soon as he realised it his fingers were gently stroking the lines of her face.

-It's gonna be alright honey, I ain't letting you go... - He was about to leave when she grabbed his arm, she grabbed him tight, digging her nails into his skin, almost drawing blood. -I am not going anywhere, Soph. I'll be in the next room if you need me. - He gave her the best smile he managed and she let go.

Eliot turned his com on as soon as the door closed behind him.

-Parker are you in the mood to steal a car tonight? I need a cab. Hardison I need my first aid kit and a complete cleaning kit, with leach. Lots of leach! - He said in a tone that didn't let any space to doubt.

-Okay man, but what was going on? -Alec asked with a shaky tone.

-Believe mevman, the least you know, the better...

It only took Hardison ten minutes to bring Eliot the stuff she needed, the double amount of time it took Parker to jump out the window and leave the building. The exact same amount of time it took him to analyse what was going on. He was horrified, of course, and there was a part of him that felt guilty, it was his duty to protect the team and, for him that still included her; he had drastically failed. Yet, there was a part of him that was proud, those were five professional, each one of them was much bigger than her and she still had taken them out leaving almost unharmed.

He examined the bodies, there was a reason the room was felt with blood; she had cut their jugulars. Deep, effective cuts; also she had stabbed three of them on other, deadly, bloody places. Effective indeed, not clean, but effective...

Eliot never allowed the Hacker into the room, he knew the last thing the young man needed was to be scared for life of Sophie Deveraux; instead he ripped the things out of his hands and demanded for five luggage bags. "Big" he said.

-How big? - Asked Hardison.

-Big enough to hide a body. - The hacker's eyes widened and he decided to ask no more question.

Eliot spent the next two hours cleaning the room, he changed the bed clean and got rid of all the broken objects, he cleaned all the blood and disinfected all the surfaces he could. He had just finished when Hardison knocked on the door again with the luggage bags he had asked for, he took those in exchange for the cleaning kit which wasn't needed anymore.

He thanked God the fact Sophie was out of the room since he had to dislocate some of the bones on the men's bodies to make them fit inside the bags.

-Parker, do you have the cab already?

-Yup, I was down here, waiting for your orders; figured you wouldn't want us in there.

-Good girl.

He swung the door opened and Alec couldn't help himself from picking inside. He found nothing; the room was as clean as if nothing had had even happened in there. The hitter dragged the bags out of the room and started talking to Parker again.

-Parker do you know what you have to do?

-I have to get rid of the bodies, right? - He smiled, she wasn't as naïf as everyone thought, she probably had had it figured out the second he left.

-Bodies? - Herdison asked. - Plural? What the hell happened in here? Forget it, I don't want to know...

He left and the room became quiet, almost too quiet, only the shower was still running.

Wait! The shower!

He took a look at his watch; Sophie had been inside the bathroom for an hour now. He knocked lightly on the door.

-Can I come in, darlin'? - When she didn't answer, he opened it fearful from what she might be doing to herself; the last thing she needed was going through that scenario over and over againinside her head. That was probably what she was doing though...


	12. Bells and Nightmares III

**This is the third and last chapter of this part of Eliot's and Sophie's story. Tell me what you think about it. :) **

He had expected her to be curled up in a ball, under the shower since it was a reaction he had often seen in others, sometimes, even in himself. It was a need to get cleaned up after a traumatic event; it happened a lot to rape victims and such, due to the healing symbolism of water. That was not what he met.

Sophie was in the exact spot where he'd left her. Standing still, looking through the mirror. He took a few minutes to look at her and to think of what to do. Her black skirt had been ripped apart and he could now see most of the skin of her beautiful legs. Her shirt was unrecoverable and tainted red. There were splashes of blood spread largely across her arms, especially on the hands; her face and neck had also been splattered with blood and her hair was all gluey and pasted up.

He grabbed a towel and moistened it, he then proceeded to wash away all the blood from her showing skin. He gently scrubbed her arms, hands, face, neck and her legs down the thighs.

He knew that wasn't enough so when he stopped her grabbed by her shoulders and squeezed friendly on a desperate attempt to make her feel safe enough to come back for him.

-Can you undress and bath yourself? - She didn't respond at all which, for itself was enough of an answer.

-Sohpie darlin', I'ma need to wash you properly and for that I will have to undress you. I need to know if you can do that. - She nodded, but the expression on her face was still the same, absent and cold. -Sophie, listen to me. -He was more serious now. - This is not what my momma taught me to. I do not take advantage of a vulnerable woman, if I'm going to undress you and give you bath... - He made a pause to deeply breath in and out, this was hard for him. Eliot really cared about her and yes, as I man he desired yet, this was not the way he wanted to see her naked for the very first time. - I need to know you are aware and that you understand what is happening... - She nodded again. -Sophie, no! This is wrong enough! I need your vocal approval...

-I understand... -She said on such a low tone it almost broke his heart.

Eliot proceeded to unbutton her shirt, he did it slowly; he had the feeling sudden movements might have scared and the last thing he wanted was her to have was a panic attack. He took is bra and grabbed the wet towel again, washing her torso the best he could, as respectful as he could... After that, he took her skirt, the only thing he left was her black lacy panties; that was his limit. Eliot swallowed hard as he tried not to cry in front of the woman she loved, he stroked her arms, soft skin under his fingers.

He tried to make her go inside the tub alone, she offered so much resistance to it he ended up sending his polite line to hell.

-Sophie do you want me to get inside the tub with ya? Does that make you feel better?

-Yes. -Her tone was higher now, even though it was still very vulnerable, it was like if the single of act of washing the blood away had made her feel better.

-Okay, I will have to undress myself. Are you okay with that?

-Yes.

He got out of his clothes as fast as he could, excepting his boxer. Eliot took her hand and got inside the tub, truth was he needed a bath too...

He washed her hair and then washed himself, she never left the tub, it seemed like it didn't matter anymore...

When they got out to the bedroom she looked around, quick eyes ball movements, as if searching for the horrid scenario he had made her leave hours ago; she started using long, deep, breaths and he thought for himself that was a good thing, a sign she knew she couldn't just panic and she couldn't possibly forget breathing as some people did.

He didn't need the first aid kit after all; all she had was couple of bruises on her back.

He opened her closet and took the first night gown he found, a dark blue one. He took a pair of panties too since hers were soaked, he actually grabbed for the first pair of cotton ones he found.

She watched him as he slid the night gown down her head and then handed the pair of black cotton knickers he had found.

-Take it, I'm not doin' that for you. - And he turned around as she undressed her previous piece of underwear and dressed the one he had given her.

He also found a man's hotel robe which was good because he had no clothes of his in there and his boxers were too soaked to wear; besides, there was no way he was leaving her alone tonight.

They both laid in her bed and as Sophie started to come back to her right-minded, conscious state she realised how tense he was, just for being next to her. She turned around and place her head on his chest, it should very uncomfortable to him: to be sleeping on that stupid robe.

-Thank you... -She whispered lightly, she then felt his left arm rounding the down of her back, she wouldn't ever feel as safe as she felt whe she was with him...

-Sophie... - He said softly and she knew the words were building up on his throat. - ... There are things I need to know... I know it's hard to talk about it, but I really need to know...

She caressed her chest, trought the robe fabric on a reassuring way.

-Did you mess up with the Serbians? Do you know why they were after you?

-I think... James used to gamble with him, I believe he might be connected to this... - She felt his muscles retract again from the tension, the anger he was feeling.

Eliot said nothing more, he placed a soft kiss on her head and led her to sleep, she needed to rest.

He remained awake and aware tough, he needed to be there for if she had nightmares...

It was almost morning when heard a noise coming from the window and Parker got in, she would never behave like normal people.

-She never let me inside the room - She said as if apologising.

-It's okay, darlin'... Did you get rid of it?

-Throw em' into the river... Don't worry; I made sure they wouldn't float...

-How's Hardison?

-A bit shaken up, but he's going to be fine...

-How's she?

-It'll take some time, but I believe she'll be fine too... - He had to, he wouldn't forgive himself if she didn't.

-Do you need something else? - Parker asked as she sat on the bed next to Sophie and starting stroking her hair on an unusual motherly gesture. Eliot thought for a while and then got up from bed.

-Yeah, I do. I need you to stay with her until morning... - Seconds later Parker was occupying his place on the bed and the hitter was gone.

* * *

><p>With her eyes still closed she rolled up on bed, expecting to find Eliot's body sleeping next to her, instead she bumped into a much smaller person and freaked out.<p>

It took her a while to slow down her breathing pace after she realised Parker was the one in her bed now. The blond opened her light blue eyes and sat up on her placing staring her, still unsure what to do.

-Parker - Sophie started on much heavier British accent than usual. - Where's Eliot?

-Hum... He... Hu... He said he was going to make sure you'd be safe...

* * *

><p>It was a darkened room full of men, there was only one lamp above the poker table and also, only one woman, standing by the drinks table.<p>

-Eliot Spencer! - The man said opening his arms on welcoming gesture. - What brings you back to me?

-The five men you sent out after Sophie Devereaux yesterday! - The woman approached with a scotch glass on her hand, he politely refused.

-What about them?

-They're dead and I want to know why you sent them after her.

-Well, you see... I also heard of her as Helena Carter and her ex-husband... He paid me a large amount of money to erase her from this planet... Nothing personal, just business. - The man had a smirk on his face that truly mad Eliot sick... The other men on the table were still, indifferently playing...

-That son of bitch! He paid you with the money she left him!

-Yeah I know, she was also the one paying for his gambling debts towards me when they got married... She seemed nice... Look, Eliot, I know you're pissed about it ,but business is business...

-Yeah, and if recall it, you still own me bog time! I saved your sister's life...

-You also disrespected her.

-I only said she had a nice smile... - The men stopped playing and stared at him for a few moments. - You still own me!

-Fine! What do you want?

-Nobody goes after her ever again and that James guy, take care of him...

-The way I always do?

-The way you always do... - They changed a few more compliments and he left knowing she was safe...

* * *

><p>-Was that her on the phone? – Eliot asked Parker not caring about the fact Nate was right next to them, nobody did anymore.<p>

-Yeah… - Parker said shoving a hand full of dry cereal in her mouth.

-How is she? Is she okay? Is she better?

-Why don't you call her if want to know that hard? – Hardison cut off on an accusation tone.

Eliot didn't reply. Three weeks had passed by since that horrible night and he still hadn't talked to her, he wanted to but he couldn't; he was just too ashamed he hadn't been there to protect her…


	13. Annie Croy

_**Italic is Sophie's past.**_

_**I want to thank Mercedes for her support and kt8a for the constructive criticism. **_

_**I'm reposting this chapter again because I was told the bad writing made it confuse so, I got a beta and she helped me with that, I hope you find it more clear now and I want to thank Nalamin for her precious help. **_

_**If you anything else you want to point out, please to it. That's really immportant to me :)  
><strong>_

He wished he could say that, slowly, everything got back to normal, but it didn't. He wished he could say that on one of those times he picked up the phone and dialled her number, he actually made the call, but he didn't...

He wished she hadn't stopped calling Parker and Hardison, but she did.

He wished she hadn't changed her alias to Annie Croy, but she did...

Eliot figured that was probably the only way the grifter could cope with the fact that she had killed somebody. In a way, that was good, because it meant that that thing was not going to eat her, but on the other... Annie Croy was not a nice, cosy woman; she was not the woman they were used too and they only fully understood that the night she made Parker cry...

Annie Croy could be unreachable, but she wasn't untraceable especially not for Hardison: when he found who and where she was, the team did what they always did: Nathan picked some job that would put them in her track and they'd all do the job pretending they weren't actually following her around.

As soon as they arrived, Parker went to look for her room and they all followed - even Nate who had a bell in his head telling that that was not going to go well. And he was right: Annie opened the door and pushed Parker against the wall violently. She was about to close the door when Parker whispered her name from under her breath: "Sophieee..." That was not just a name, it was begging and they all knew the thief didn't beg.

-I'm not Sophie, I am Annie Croy. Now stop following me, you wankers! - The second the door shut behind her, the young woman started sobbing uncontrollably. Nate pulled her into his arms, hugging her like she was a small child.

They were in the mastermind's bedroom in silence; Nate was blaming himself as well as Eliot. God damn it, if he had just stayed by her side, then maybe those things weren't happening.

-Sophie Devereaux is dead, man! - Hardison said from behind is laptop. - It's over!

It could have been Eliot or even Nathan, but Parker was the one punching his nose.

It took him forty five minutes to regain his conscience, and when he did, Parker was on the bed crying. He got up on his feet and went to lie next to her, embracing her, stroking her hair.

-Eliot, - she suddenly called. –Come here. –The three men looked at each other and Hardison started to get up, but she clenched her fingers around his arm. – You stay! – The men exchanged looks again, but they all knew if they fought about it she would win.

-She's stays in the middle! – The two younger men said at the same time.

Nate woke up on the couch and looked around. Eliot, Parker and Hardison were still in bed. He let a smile slip between his lips at the sight of that sweet picture; two boys giving in to make a girl feel safe…

They kept tags on her. That's how they knew she was on stealing spree, taking twenty-five paintings in just three days.

When Nate found out, he decided that was enough. They needed to get some closure on that situation, they needed to let go just as much as he did. He went to his desk and searched his files until he found the perfect job for that, a job that involved a long con in Brazil...

_She was just seven years old when they came in into her house, the men wearing dark suits... She got scared and did what her daddy told her to do. She ran under the table._

_She didn't quite remember how much time she spent there; the next thing she remembers is Uncle Collin's face calling her._

_-Come on sweetie, it's okay now._

_The door wasn't completely shut, so she was able to see her dad dragging one of the men. She could have sworn he was just asleep, but then she saw the blood..._

_She was twelve when her dad took her there for the first time, to the empty warehouse. He closed the door behind him and she asked what they were doing there; he gave her a sly smile and extended her a knife._

_-I'm going to teach you how to use that... _

But that wasn't just training and her father wasn't there to buy her ice cream and tell her how proud he was. But she was big enough to realise that was nothing to be proud of, anyway.

That had been years ago, but when the men broke into her room she did exactly what her dad had taught her, she ran for the knife Parker had given her before the strangers could catch it and stabbed them in the places she knew it would cause them to die, just like her daddy had taught her...

A few minutes later, she heard Parker's soft knock. She ran to the door and opened it just slightly; she spoke in a low tone, trying to keep calm so the girl wouldn't notice something was wrong. She told her she wanted to be alone with the most straight face she managed to. It worked. The girl left - with a disappointed look on her face, but still she left. And even though she never meant to hurt Parker, Sophie knew that if she'd seen what she had done, who she really was, the girl wouldn't just come back from that...

When Eliot broke into her room, she was curled near the window looking at what she had made. It turned out that her mother had been right when, during all those years she said "she was like her father!", and that terrified her. She was focused on breathing, trying to stop the situation from crushing her. When Eliot sat next to her, taking her knife away, she felt she could still be safe from all of that. After all, if he had made all those horrible things and still managed to be a good person, she could do it too. But he left.

He left her alone with her awful dark thoughts and she convinced herself that was because she just wasn't worth his time. She must be too bad, even worse than what he once was; she must have done worse than what he once done and that was the reason he had left her, because she was nothing more than a hopeless piece of shit, deserving to live in her very own personal hell.

When those thoughts started to eat her inside out, she transformed into the one person that could live with her own actions, the one person that saw no evil on what she had done.

Annie Croy, the one who knew that if she hadn't killed those guys she wouldn't be alive. And regretted nothing...


	14. Broken family

**I'm sorry it took me so long to update but I had a blockage on this chapter and I had to rewrite about three times and on top of that I was applying to college and I didn't had much time to write… Any mistakes will be later corrected by my beta reader which unhapilly is not available at the moment. I will try to update the next chapter soon. Any criticism and help with this story is welcome.**

Somewhere along the game things changed and she started chasing them around, they didn't know why or how, but they all felt observed. They could feel eyes on them, her eyes…

On a few occasions Hardison's smartphone was stolen and nobody, not even Parker, managed to get it back and she would get so close that in the morning Parker could smell her perfume inside a room…

So they got used to be the mouse on that run, they all desired to turn around to stop her, to awake her from her torpid greyness, from those lands of nowhere, from that living she was buried in, but there were too many buts, too many ifs, too many uncertainties and she didn't want them... She was Annie Croix, she was as cold as ice, she didn't have a heart beating in her chest, only dreams of chasing, dreams of winning a war none of them had started. She only had that deep, deep wish of hurting Nate, of finally beating him and, alongside with that there was the thirsty of revenge for Eliot. Yes, he could feel her, looking at him, even in his dreams she was there staring with dark eyes, eyes that spoke of accusation, eyes that said: "It's your fault I'm like this, you left me, you ABANDONED ME!"

_Collin stood up from his chair and looked at his little girl, his beloved little niece was now a woman yet, he couldn't believe it. Her father had died a couple of years ago and now he had taken his place, he finally had the power to set __her free__ from the family business. The man hugged her tight and handed a passport with a new identity. He kissed her gently on the forehead and watch as she walked away; that was the thing he wanted the most, to know she wasn't going to end like him..._

They were still working on that long con in Brazil when winter replaced autumn and they were all tired, exhausted, chasing a painting nobody knew for sure if it hadn't been destroyed already and to top it all, Christmas was getting close...

Their little family was falling apart, Parker wasn't the same ever since Annie had pushed against the wall, she didn't speak with them freely anymore and Eliot had to force her to eat properly; when she wasn't working all she did was to stand in the roof looking at the bright blue sky and now, now she'd pray for some snow... Snow was really important.

_She woke up to see her father's face smiling at her; he hugged tightly and brought her from her crib. "Come on sweetie, Dad and mom have a surprise for you". He carried her inside the living room, it was early in the morning and there was no light outside. Parker's family was poor yet they loved her with all their heart so that Christmas dad worked double shifts at the factory so she could have a Christmas tree and even some presents. She was too young to see the cracks on the ceiling or the broken glasses on the windows, but she understood how special that night was. She wouldn't ever forget the look on her mother's face, she was so tired yet there was a blessed expression crossing her features as she handed her a colourful package. Inside there was a stuffed bunny. It was snowing outside... Her parents died two months later on a car crash and Parker entered the system. She stayed with many families in many places, but it never snowed on Christmas while she was with them..._

Eliot feels that there's nothing he can do so he just watches as she gets to pale, to skinny, too sad. He knows that one day, one day she's going to run away and that will destroy her, when that day comes she'll be completely destroyed due to what Annie did.

Eliot just sits there and prays that day isn't today...

Nate on the other hand, doesn't see how Parker is. He doesn't want to, because if he does he will have to see the hurt child inside her eyes and his heart won't take it. He will hug her and will fight for her; he will take her as his own, his daughter, his sweet baby. The only baby he had died so he can't play that game again, knowing he will lose.

He knows she's fading way, that's exactly why he does nothing; he can't hug her just to feel her getting colder and colder until there's no life inside her, until there's no blood running through her veins, just like Sam...

_The boy's daddy told him he was going to the store to get something. He never came back home yet the boy with big hopeful eyes waited every day at the widow to watch the slim silhouette of his dad crossing the road towards home. Instead, a woman wearing a grey suit came, saying he was going to leave home for a while. He didn't understand what was happening he cried and called his momma, asked her why she didn't love him anymore and where his daddy was. She said with tears in her eyes that dad wasn't coming back and she could not afford to raise him properly so, she had called those good people that would take good care of him. One week later he was just a shy boy eating at Nana's table. Daddy never got back home and momma never came for him, but in the end it didn't matter because Nana was the only family he needed. _

That was what Alec Hardison thought until the day he met an honest thief, a hitter with a golden heart, a crazy sweet blond and the best actress in the world, he never meant it. However, they slowly became his family too and that's the reason he hates himself so much right now. There's nothing he could ever do to save Sophie and he's absolutely impotent against what's happening to Parker so he buries his nose on his computer like a coward and searches for the painting so they all can leave Brazil and got back to America. The worst part of it is the fact he's not only planning on getting back to the States, he's planning on getting back home, to the only home he ever met.

He feels just like his dad, leaving his family on the time they need him the most, but that's the only thing he can do. He can't just stand there and watch as Nathan gets drunker every day, slowly killing his mind, as Parker fades way and turns into a shadow of what she once was, as Eliot's hearts crashes one more time... He can't, he just can't so he searches for the painting because maybe if he finds the painting that isn't so bad... No, it isn't so bad to turn into the only man he ever hated...

Eliot never had a real family; instead there was a woman who he always called Momma because his wasn't around. She always took care of him and protected him.

She was the one he thought of back on the army when she got mad. When she died the world got darker and he felt like he was going to blow up, however, Rafaela showed up and she reminded him of that woman, she reminded him of home. Unhappily she left as fast as she came and soon he had to find another family. That was Moreau for a while, but with him things never felt completely right so one day Spencer just left with Damien's blessing. He was starting to feel three was no home for him when the team started working together and now everything was falling apart...

**what do you think about the flasbacks on Sophie's, Hardison's and Parker's lives? Please let me know**


End file.
